Why don't Jews?

Question

Jews in the old testament had tempels, to worship God. What did they do in the tempels? If God is the same yesterday today and for ever, Why don't jews have temples today to worship God?

Answer 1

They do. They have both temples and synagogues which are the same thing, the term can be used interchangeably.

Answer 2

There were 2 Jewish Temples in Jerusalem. The first was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BCE, who then took many of the Jews in the land into slavery.

Some 70 years later, King Cyrus freed the Jews and gave permission to rebuild the Temple.

Then along came the Romans in 70 CE and destroyed it, and renamed the area "Palestine", and they ruled the area until they were displaced by other invaders, and so it went, on and on.

What went on in the Temples was that grain and animal sacrifices were made for all of the nations on the earth, all of the people of the world, for forgiveness for their sins, as per the instructions given in the Torah (the Jewish bible) by God on Mt. Sinai.

Animal sacrifices, however, were done ONLY for unintentional sins, the rest were grain or other offerings.

If you are interested in what the 2nd Temple looked like and what went on there, please go to this site and take the tour. It's very good:

http://www.templeinstitute.org/index.htm

Today the Reform Jews (the more liberal branch of Judaism) call their synagogues "Temples".

The Orthodox don't. They call their houses of worship shuls or synagogues. For the Orthodox there is only ONE (the 3rd and final) Temple. This will not be rebuilt until the Messiah comes. The Orthodox feel it is disrespectful to call any building other than that one, "Temple", so they don't.

Answer 3

The first Temple was destroyed in 586 BCE and the Israelites were exiled in Babylon for 50 years. The Temple was rebuilt and destroyed a 2nd time in 70 CE.

You can read in the Torah (OT) exactly what happened in the Temple. Sacrifices were made in strict accordance with Jewish law (Leviticus). All sacrifices had to be made in the Temple -- not in synagogues or makeshift altars, etc. Only in the Temple.

After the Temple was destroyed in the year 70, it was no longer possible to sacrifice so the Rabbis decided that sacrifices would be replaced by prayer. There were also synagogues in those days which were houses of study or community gatherings. Prayers could be done at home, but Jews pray as a community so they also prayed at the synagogue.

The same is true today. No more sacrifices since 70 CE, and we pray together in families at home or in larger communities in the synagogue (or shul). Synagogues are sometimes named "Temple" Emanu-El, etc. but there never was more than one *Temple* where sacrifices were made.
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Answer 4

Yes, Julia D is correct. There have been two Temples (with a capital "T") in Jerusalem which were used for ritual sacrifices--sacrifices to atone for certain types of transgressions. When the second Temple was destroyed in 70 C.E. (that's the Jewish way of saying "A.D.") the sacrificial priesthood was abolished and those sacrifices ceased. However, since somewhat before that time--and continuing to the present day--Jews worship in temples (small "t") often called synagogues. You will not find Orthodox communities calling their house of worship a temple because of the belief that there is (or will be) only one Temple; hence, they use other terms such as synagogue or congregation before their name.

Answer 5

Reform Jews have temples as synagogues and many Orthodox Jews are awaiting the restoration of the Temple of Jeruslaem

Answer 6

Stacy this is a good question!
I am born a Jew-now i consider myself a Messianic Jew= a Jew that believes in the Messiah Jesus.

Ok the Temple was first built under king Solomon-and the glory of God filled the temple =as the scriptures record.

as the bible records it was destroyed because it was showed off to the heathen of Babylon-and the king brought armies back to destroy it-

the Temple was rebuilt under Nehemiah (a short man=Knee high Miah=a little short joke)
the temple was finally destoryed totally 70AD

THE REASON= JESUS the messiah fulfilled the prophecy to be the blood atonement for sins.

Moses had sadi "The life of the flesh is the blood, and I have given it upon the altar to make atonement for your souls." Leviticus 17:11

Jesus fulfilled it so for 2000 the ceremony of the lamb sacrifice for sin in Jerusalem at the Temple has not been done.

After this many Jewish people became Messianic Jews because they believed the Jewish scriptures and Moses, while others made up new religions -which claimed other ways to make atonement for sins--and some even continue to use the name of temple as the reform and some conservative physical descendent Jewish people but not of the Jewish Scriptural Faith.

some extra help too=the God of the Bible and his coming as the Messiah as promised to Adam and Eve=God slew an animal =blood sacrificed to give them coverings of skin to put on them after they sinned & Genesis 3:15 to crush the evil one. Isaiah 52:13-53:12 He will lay down his life to make atonement for our sins. Isaiah 96 to be the child born the son given, mighty God, and the prince of peace.

Answer 7

We have synagogues, where we get together and pray, just like we did in the temple in Jerusalem.

Answer 8

We do...what are you talking about? We have synagogues and temples. My son was married at Temple Emanu-el in San Francisco. So again I ask...what are you talking about?

Answer 9

Jewish people do have temples today and worship God......

You're question is moot.

Answer 10

we do have temples, called synagogues. and chabads, and also some are still called temples.